Stablecoins

Visa expands stablecoin settlement pilot as Bridge targets 100-country card rollout

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Visa deepens its stablecoin push by expanding onchain settlement through Bridge.

Posted: March 4, 2026 By: Adewale Olarinde Journalist Edited By: Jibin Mathew George Adewale Olarinde Journalist Edited By: Jibin Mathew George Posted: March 4, 2026 Share this article

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Visa is expanding its stablecoin settlement pilot while deepening its collaboration with Bridge. The Stripe-owned infrastructure firm pushes its stablecoin-linked card program toward a planned rollout in more than 100 countries by the end of 2026.

The announcement signals a broader integration of stablecoins into Visa’s global payments network.

Stablecoin-linked cards scale globally

Bridge enables businesses and fintech developers to issue stablecoin-backed Visa cards, allowing users to spend stablecoin balances for everyday purchases anywhere Visa is accepted. 

The cards are currently live in 18 countries. They are slated to expand across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East by year-end.

Transactions can be used at more than 175 million merchant locations globally, according to Visa. 

Crypto platforms, including Phantom and MetaMask, are already offering the cards. It enables users to pay directly from their stablecoin balances, without converting to fiat in advance.

The expansion reflects growing demand for payment products that bridge blockchain-based assets and traditional card networks.

Onchain settlement moves forward

Alongside the geographic expansion, Visa is broadening its stablecoin settlement pilot. Through Bridge’s partnership with Lead Bank, card transactions can now be settled onchain with Visa over supported blockchain networks.

The pilot allows participating issuers and acquirers to settle obligations using stablecoins rather than exclusively relying on traditional fiat settlement rails.

Visa said the program is evaluating:

• How stablecoin settlement can provide greater settlement optionality for issuers and program managers
• Operational efficiency gains from onchain reconciliation and faster fund movement
• The role of infrastructure providers, such as Bridge, in simplifying blockchain interactions for financial institutions

Cuy Sheffield, Visa’s head of crypto, said the expansion reflects growing institutional interest in blockchain-based settlement. “Visa is committed to meeting businesses where they operate, and increasingly, that’s onchain,” Sheffield said in the release.

Evaluating support for Bridge-issued assets

Visa also said it is assessing potential support for Bridge-issued assets in future payment flows. The review will focus on whether those assets can complement Visa’s existing network and introduce additional settlement pathways for partners.

Bridge CEO and cofounder Zach Abrams said the collaboration is part of a longer-term strategy to help businesses integrate stablecoins into their own financial stacks.

Still a pilot phase

Despite the expansion, the settlement initiative remains a pilot. The program is designed to test settlement flexibility and operational efficiency rather than replace traditional fiat rails.

The move underscores how major payment networks are increasingly incorporating stablecoins into existing systems as optional settlement tools.

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Final Summary

• Visa is expanding its stablecoin settlement pilot while Bridge prepares to scale stablecoin-linked cards to over 100 countries by year-end.
• The initiative integrates stablecoins into backend settlement flows. However, it remains in pilot phase rather than a replacement for traditional rails.

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Adewale Olarinde

Adewale Olarinde is a crypto journalist and data-driven storyteller with a Master’s degree in International Relations. He covers digital assets, markets, and policy with a focus on clarity and context. Outside of work, he’s a lifelong Manchester United supporter and a big music lover. More Articles

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